Leader of the Australian Conservatives party Cory Bernardi is pushing for new investments in reliable baseload power.

Instead of taxpayers funding the building of a new coal-fired power station, Senator Bernardi is suggesting the government use market forces.

This comes as AGL boss Andy Vesey refuses to budge on the closure of Liddell power station.

He tells Chris Kenny there’s been a number of approaches to make up for the baseload power that would be lost with the closure of the station.

“They all involve either nationalising the electricity market, the government spending hundreds of millions of dollars more, or billions of dollars more, in the creeping socialism of building power stations.

“We have to add baseload capacity in a way that the company that is going to build it can be offered contractual and operational certainty and security.”

Senator Bernardi says government need to “level up” the playing field.

“Everything to do with our electricity market that’s bad is the result of government decision making, interference in the free market because it’s so longer level playing field.

“Well, it’s time we did level it up and government can use their power to do it in a positive way that saves taxpayers’ money.”

Listen to the full interview below